Thankyou
by MasterVash
Summary: Kaidan realises his true feelings for his Commander, but such deep, profound thoughts always led to pain. Shenko fluff!


A/N: My first Mass Effect fic... whooo!!!!! Anyways I would REALLY love it if you could give me some feedback on it. Helps a lot and is appreciated! ;)

ME: Thankyou

Kaidan watched as Camira walked slowly down the corridor of the ship, he noticed she walked with a gait that showed she carried an emotional scar that burdened her every step... they all were. The hurt Ash's death brought to them all was painful, but Camira felt it much more. It was her choice that took away the Gunnery Chief's life, to leave her to die on Virmire and it saddened her immensely. He could see the pain behind her bold blue eyes, and her slumped shoulders as she walked.

The feeling of guilt washed through him also, she had given Ashley's life to save his, and if she hadn't come for him she'd still be alive. It was hitting him hard, but not as hard as it was her. Still painfully lingering down the deck, she drew nearer to Kaidan, giving him and acknowledging nod as she passed him.

"Lieutenant" Her voice was full of sorrow and grief.

"Commander" He responded, giving her a smile of comfort. She returned it, giving him a weak, but faint smile that was so... angelic.

Kaidan's heart skipped a beat; he couldn't take his eyes of her as she continued the path towards her locker, taking in her every movement as she went through her possessions. He continued to watch her admiringly, every thing she did was so beautiful. He'd watched her fight, watched her help out complete strangers all with admiration and awe, but this time it was different, it was deeper.

He was getting deeper into his own thoughts now, this feeling inside his chest was the best feeling he'd ever felt, it made him smile and forget the universe for that moment. Being a biotic with the old L2 implant was dangerous, when he got so deep into thought, thoughts that confused him, he would end up with a horrible migraine, but right now he didn't care.

_Is this what love feels like?_

Then as if on cue, sharp, head splitting pain seared through Kaidan's skull. Immediately he brought his hands to his head, as if it would make it stop, but the pain continued to rage through his mind. This was more than his daily migraine from his L2 implant, it was worse… much worse. The aching was preventing him from speaking, he needed help, fast.

He started stumbling a few steps forward, and before he managed to make it any further he felt his legs burst with crippling pain and he felt them start to buckle underneath him. He began to fall, and just slightly succeeded in releasing a small, faint cry for help… luckily it was heard.

At the sound of help, Camira spun around in time to catch the lieutenant before he made contact with the deck. Her eyes were wide with worry as he faintly heard her concerned and frantic voice calling his name.

"Kaidan! Can you hear me?"

He couldn't answer back as the pain was at its height, and that made her worry further. Common sense and instinct took over to take him directly to Dr Chakwas. She wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to haul him up; she couldn't lift all of the well built man, she needed him to walk.

"Kaidan, Can you walk? The med lad is just there, please, don't give up on me!" Her voice was shaky and nervous, she already lost one crew member today and she was determined not to lose another.

It took all the Lieutenants strength to lift himself up and start walking forward with 90% of the help from Camira. She led him to the med lad, arms still gripping him tight, yelling for the doctor.

The exploding pain in his head was causing his vision to blur on and off. He could smell the heavenly, elusive scent of Camira's perfume, and that calmed him, she was right there next to him, he felt safe. He made out another blur rushing towards him, and felt himself being dragged towards a bed.

Kaidan hated hospitals, med labs, whatever; he'd spent more than enough time than he wanted in them, mostly because he'd seen a lot of his good friends die in them, plus one word came to mind when he thought about them…pain.

The lieutenant knew any minute Dr Chakwas was going to drug him up; he would enter a nice, deep painless sleep, cut off from everyone and everything. For the first time ever, there was something inside him that made him feel scared; he didn't want to be alone. What he wanted most at that moment was for Camira to stay with him, to protect him. Fear was forming at the thought of Camira leaving him by himself that she wasn't going to be there; no woman had ever made him feel like this, and he loved it.

Through his blurred vision, he could just make out her worried, frightened features. She was frightened for him, she knew this wasn't a common situation for the lieutenant and she couldn't bare herself to loose another friend… especially Kaidan.

_Please not Kaidan, please, not another one._ Her thoughts were bursting with emotion and inside she was crying, but she had to stay focused.

Camira took Kaidan's hand looking into his eyes, full of pain and fear; she brushed her left hand over his sweaty forehead. He was trying to speak, but no sound was coming out, he was desperately struggling to talk, but it was only making it harder for him.

"Shhhh, relax. You'll be okay. Try not to speak." She whispered, reassuring herself more than him. _Hurry up doc._

With much effort, Kaidan managed to reach his hand to Camira's cheek, faintly whispering one word.

"Stay", was all he could muster.

Camira gripped his hand tighter, staring into his eyes full of hope and desperation. It was getting harder and harder to keep herself from crying, but she wasn't going to, she couldn't deny it any longer. _I love him._ She made up her mind there and then, she was going to stay, he wanted her to and that was enough, he needed her most at this moment just as she needed him.

With pursed lips she nodded receiving a small, faint smile from him. As Doctor Chakwas injected the needle, Camira smiled devotedly and adoringly at the Lieutenant making sure it was the last thing he saw before he drifted off into a deep, pain free slumber.

She felt his grip slowly loosen as his hand fell lightly onto the bed, brushing her own hand across his forehead once more, she turned to the doctor.

"What was wrong with him?" She said hoarsely," I _know_ that hasn't happened before, something's not right."

Doctor Chakwas sighed, "I'm not going to lie to you Shepard, that hasn't happened before. But don't worry it's not an abnormal experience for him, these intense migraine's are usually caused by unfamiliar, profound feelings that are new to him." She looked at the helpless, sleeping form of Kaidan, "Only when he's confused does this happen, still it could be worse, he's and extremely lucky man."

Camira took in the information and smiled, relief showed on her face. She was getting tired, remembering her promise to Kaidan she looked at Dr Chakwas with silent, desperate plea.

"I think I'm going to bunk here for the night, if that's okay with you doc."

"Of course Commander." Dr Chakwas smiled at Camira, her gaze held something that Camira couldn't recognise, "I have a few things I have to discuss with Pressly, go ahead."

Camira watched the older woman walk out the med lab, grateful for the privacy and understanding. She turned towards the sleeping form of Kaidan, his face looked calm and peaceful, she continued to gaze admiringly with a certain protectiveness as she lowered herself down into the bed next to his, not taking an eye off him.

As she lay there silently gazing at the soldier, emotions ran through her mind like wild fire. Guilt still grasped her strongly for the death of her friend, but just seeing… and now knowing… that the Lieutenant cared much more for her, well, that made up for everything. She continued to lovingly watch Kaidan sleep, watching his chest rise and fall in motion, his steady, calm breathing rocking her gently to sleep.

_I stayed. I love you. _She drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Kaidan Alenko soothing her mind.

-------------------

Kaidan eyes shot open, as he awoke head ache free and tired, his mind registered all that had happened in the past few hours and where he was now. He ran his hand across his face, still tired he took a deep breath to calm himself.

_Med lab._

As he breathed in, he could smell a faint, familiar fragrance in the air, he knew that smell and it immediately calmed him. His heart fluttered as he turned his head to find the peaceful, sleeping form of Camira lying in the bed next to him. The lieutenant was touched by her affection and devotion, she'd kept her promise of staying with him and that made him feel extremely happy.

He knew what he wanted, he wanted Camira, she made him everything he was now and best of all he knew she cared and felt the same way about him. Everything she did was so beautiful to him, the way she walked, talked, even the way she fought with such speed and grace.

He knew this was right, he realised that he'd found true love and nothing was going to take her away from him, not the mission, not the Geth and definitely not Saren. He would tell her later how he felt, but right now he was savouring this moment of extreme bliss.

"Thankyou" He whispered as he closed his eyes and started drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

_I love you. _


End file.
